The square, once a cacophony of murmurs and shifting feet, fell into a suffocating silence as Regina's voice cut through the air.
"Hey you! Get down here!" Regina shouted, her chin tilted at an angle that spoke of inherited status and pride. Her eyes, sharp and condescending, remained locked on Mirabella.
The reaction was instantaneous. Thousands of heads snapped upward. The collective gasp of the crowd felt like a physical wave, followed by a surge of frantic whispers that grew into a roar of recognition.
"By the gods... that's Spectral!"
"Look at her... I thought the legends were exaggerated."
"It doesn't matter which Empire she chooses," a young warrior whispered, his voice trembling with fervor. "Where she goes, the balance of power shifts. I'm following her."
